MARK 4:35-41 – On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

THEME OF THE DAY. WHY ARE WE? The theme of today’s nugget is a spin-off of the two questions Jesus asked His disciples – “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” Now before we dive into this issue of us being like the disciples who succumbed to fear in difficult circumstances, not maintaining faith in the Christ of their circumstances, a couple of things to address. First, this call to exercise faith over fear is not easy. Doable? Yes, but not without grace-empowered effort on our part. If we think just asking God to remove our fear when facing difficult circumstances is going to drive away such fear, we are failing to understand the role of our obedience in fighting fear. Another thing to realize is that God doesn’t just gloss over our battles with unbelief or doubt. It dishonors Him. Let that serious truth motivate us to the battle against fear. Okay. A couple things now in a positive direction to help us do this battle against sinful fear coming from unbelief and doubt.

First, fight fear of circumstances with sound theology. Allow me to explain. What is theology? The study of God. Who is Christ? God. Who is in the boat with the disciples? God. What is God? Powerful. Who is in the boat with the disciples? The powerful God. When fear seeks to rise inside our hearts and wants to put a stranglehold of anxiety upon us, stop and remember your God, particularly, the attributes of your God – powerful, sovereign, and loving, and He is in your “boat” with you. Rest by faith on His Presence and like He did with the disciples, He will calm the “seas of fear” in your life.

Another thing to help in overcoming fear is to put reason ahead of emotions. Too often we become irrational when fear clamps down on our hearts. The disciples did. Notice what they said as fear got the upper hand – “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” What? That is fear talking. Who was in the boat? The God who is love. What had He done? Called them to follow Him and change the world. Would He just stop loving them, let them drown, and find another band of disciples? Their “fear speak” was blasphemous. It attacked the loving character of Christ and it denied His Word – “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17). He did not say, “Follow me, and I will make you dwell with the fishes of the sea.” When difficult circumstances come, pause, and reason with yourself and God. Don’t let emotions be the interpretive lens. They will always point us away from God, not to Him.

So, the questions Jesus asked His disciples, He will ask of us when we allow fear to override faith. May we learn to trust Him in all things so such questions need never be asked of us!

PRAYER: “Father, forgive me when I allow fear of what I see cause me to mistrust Your promises.”

QUOTE: “A lot of the Christian life is a fight to believe God’s Word more than our wavering feelings.”